You will make appropriate representations in the line suggested by the
Secretary of Agriculture, doing so by corresponding with the consul at
Christiania, should the regulations be found to have been made by the
local municipality.
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Wilson to
Mr. Hay.
Department of Agriculture,
Office of the
Secretary,
Washington, D.
C., March 23,
1899.
Sir: I am informed by Messrs. Swift &
Co., of Chicago, that their representative at Christiania, Norway,
informs them that after March 16, 1899, the health department
(presumably of Christiania) will execute a much more rigid control
of imported beef, pork, sausage, etc., than heretofore, and that it
will be necessary for all certificates of inspection signed by
Government inspectors to be identified and certified by the
Norwegian consul. This representative of Messrs. Swift & Co.
requests that the inspectors forward their signatures, with a
certificate that they are authorized inspectors, and that this will
be placed on file with the health department for identifiction of
the certificates, and that, this being done, it will not be
necessary to have each certificate certified by the consul.
Will you kindly request the American minister, or, if more
convenient, the consul at Christiania, to look into this matter and
see if any attempt is being made in Norway to discredit the
certificates issued by this Government of the inspection of meat
products.
This Department takes the ground that these certificates are
Government certificates; that they bear the signature of the
Secretary of Agriculture, and that the signature of the acting
inspector at each place is countersigned for the protection of this
Department and not for the information of foreign governments. It is
inconsistent with the dignity of this Government to permit any
questioning of these certificates or to assist in any plan of such
governments to demand identification of the signatures of the
inspectors. These certificates, as Government certificates, should
be accepted without question.
Further, the plan of identifying the signatures of the inspectors at
various points is entirely impracticable, because these inspectors
are changed from place to place; [Page 722] they are often assigned to other duties, and
frequently their connection with the service is severed; so that an
effort to verify certificates from the signature of the inspectors
would lead to much delay and annoyance to the trade.
I presume this is an order of the local board of health at
Christiania, and that an explanation made by the United States
consul or the minister would be sufficient to correct it and to
secure the acceptance of our goods without any certificate of the
consul that tne certificate of the American Government is properly
issued.
I have, etc.,